Hillary Clinton clinches the Democratic nomination for the US presidency

Former first lady and former US Secretary of State Hillary Rodham Clinton, was Thursday July 28 nominated by the Democratic Party as its presidential candidate for the November general elections. She becomes the first female nominee for the Democratic Party. If she wins in November she would be the first female United States President and Commander-in-Chief of the nation’s military. In any country Mrs. Clinton’s achievement would not be considered a feat. In the United States, she has attained what used to be unattainable by a woman. She broke through the glass ceiling after denting it several times. In her acceptance speech she said, “. . . it is with humility . . . determination. . . and boundless confidence in America’s promise . . . that I accept your nomination for President of the United States!” I’ve been your First Lady. Served 8 years as a Senator from the great State of New York. I ran for President and lost. Then I represented all of you as Secretary of State. But my job titles only tell you what I’ve done. They don’t tell you why. The truth is, through all these years of public service, the “service” part has always come easier to me than the “public” part.” It is not strange President Obama described her as the most qualified for the job of the President of the United States. Mrs. Clinton has so long been in the public eye that perhaps the most salient feature of her nomination is being lost on Americans and the world in general. Her nomination is historic as the first female to be so named.

And it is interesting for a great democracy like the United States of America to now consider a woman as president when some nations in Africa and Europe have had that experience for decades.

Prime Minister Margaret Thatcher of Great Britain performed so well and competitively with equally great men. Helen Sirleaf Johnson of Liberia took up the mantle in Liberia after years of civil war. Indira Ghandi of India is perhaps one of the pre-eminent female world leaders of note. HRC (Mrs. Clinton) joins the ranks of great leaders like Germany’s Chancellor Angela Merkel if she is elected.

Hillary Clinton is not the first woman to have been in the race for the presidency. Victoria Claflin Woodhull, later Victoria Woodhull Martin in 1872 was the first. A few others have tried between that time and now but none could impact the field as Mrs. Clinton. Women as strong as Hillary Clinton are efficient because of their peculiar human interests. Mrs. Clinton has been an advocate for children even as she was a corporate lawyer. Her work in children’s health and welfare stand out in her career. She has also been in the vanguard for an affordable health care delivery system in her country. Most features in Obama’s Affordable Care Act, referred to as Obamacare come from Hillary’s failed health care policy she designed during President Clinton’s administration. According to a new study by the Southern Rural Development Center (SRDC), income inequality is rising in the U.S. The inequality spans the racial as well as gender divides. Gillian B. White, writing in www.atlantic.com indicates that nationally, unemployment is about 5 percent, down from 10 percent in 2009. But for black Americans, the unemployment rate is much higher—for them, the economy is still a disaster. Unemployment among blacks was 9.5 percent during the third quarter of 2015 compared to only 4.5 percent for whites. The natural consequence of such situation is growth of the crime rate in the inner cities. Continued lack of trust between the police and minority black and Hispanic communities because of police high handed approaches have surged as well. Only a mother’s impulses can deal with such situations, and, as she says in her acceptance speech she has plans to close the income gap, make college tuition affordable or free and create more jobs. Her female touch could soften the often macho and militaristic characteristic of the major world power.

On the other hand her iconic personality could provide the magnetic pull of many a young woman who aspire to be a politician and a leader. HRC’s strengths lie in her longevity in public service. Her relationships with several world leaders on the personal levels gives her the edge over her main Republican opponent Donald Trump who has offended most of them with his fiery and sometimes hateful rhetoric. Indeed Mrs. Clinton’s many attributes if applied in case she wins in November could increase the fortunes of the United States.